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(.No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. B. FRANKLIN & G. J. EHBETS.

' MAGAZINE FIRE ARM.

Patented Feb. 2, 1886.

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. MAGAZINE FIRE ARM. No. 335,517. Patented Feb. 2, 1886.

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Gi /(Anew (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. W. B. FRANKLIN & C. J. EHBETS.

MAGAZINE FIRE ARM. No. 335,517. Patented Feb. 2, 1886.

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UNITED STATES 7 PATENT @EETQE.

WILLIAM B. FRANKLIN AND CARL J. EHBETS, OF HARTFORD, GONNEOTL OUT, ASSIGNORS TO THE COLTS PATENT FIRE ARMS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MAGAZINE FIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,517, dated February 2, 1886.

Application filed August 31, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WM. 13. FRANKLIN and CARL J. EI-IBETs, of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,

have invented a new Improvement in Magazine Fire-Arms; and we do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying three sheets of drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a 10 full, clear, and exact description of the same,

and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a sectional side view of the arm, showing the hammer-locking lever, the parts being in the normal position; Fig. 2, the same, showing all the parts in the position of the full-open breech; Fig.3, a sectional top view, showing the hammer-locking lever and its arrangement with the hammer; Fig. 4, a modifi- 2e cation of the locking-lever; Fig. 5, atop view ofthereceiver, showing the opening through which the cartridges pass from the magazine, with the magazine, in broken lines, in the position of application, enlarged; Fig. 6, aperspective view of the magazine; Fig. 7, a sectional side view showing the shield on the breechpiece, with the parts in a closed position; Fig. 8, a top view of the breech-piece, part of the shield broken away to show the latches;

0 Fig. 9, aside view of the breech-piece and shield in the position when the shield has reached its extreme rear position; Fig. 10, the same when the breech-piece has reached its X treme rear position, parts broken away; Fig.

3 5 11, a transverse section through the receiver,

breech-piece, and shield; Fig. 12, a top view of the breech-piece and shield in their extreme rear position, and showing the latch 25 as having made engagement between the breech- 0 piece and shield; Fig. 13, a transverse section through the breech-piece and latch m, showing the connection between the cam on the brace and the latch; Fig. 14, a sectional side view of the front portion of the receiver and 5 barrel, showing side view of the starting lever; Fig. 15, atransverse section through the receiver and magazine, looking toward the rear end of the barrel; Fig. 16, a mouth view of the magazine, showing the flange around it;

(No model.)

Fig. 17, a transverse section showing a modification in the arrangement of the shield.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of breech-loading fire-armsin which the breech-piece is arranged to move backward and forward in the axial line of the barrel to open and close the breech, and in which the blow is communicated through the firing-pin by a hammer hung in rear of the breechpiece, with special reference to that subdivision of this class of fire-arms in which the breech-piece is moved by a handle beneath the barrel, in connection with the breechpiece or its mechanism, so that a longitudinal movement of the handle beneath the barrel imparts the opening and closing longitudinal movement to the breech-piece, and while specially adapted to the arm for which Letters Patent of the United States No. 314,823 were granted to -William B. Franklin, March 31, 1885, and in which the magazine is arranged above the receiver, so that the cartridges fall into the receiver from the magazine by gravity, parts of the invention are applicable to other constructions of arms.

The first part of the invention has for its object to lock the hammer, when cooked, by the opening movement of the breech-piece,and so that it cannot be discharged until the breech-piece be fully closed.

The second part of the invention has for its object to prevent the entrance of a cartridge from the magazine into the receiver until the previous cartridge shall have been forced into the barrel and positively withdrawn therefrom on the retreat of the breech-piece; and the third object of the invention is to start the shell or unexploded cartridge from the barrel by mechanical means independent of the eX- tractor-hook on the breech-piece; and theinvention consists in the construction whereby these objects are accomplished, as fully hereinafter described, and more particularly recited in the claims.

A represents the receiver; B, the barrel attached to the forward end of the receiver; 0, the longitudinal movable breech-piece; D, the brace hung to the breech-piece, near its forward end, upon a pivot, a, and so that when the breech-piece is in its closed position the brace will rest against an abutment, E, and thereby support the breech-piece against explosion, the brace constructed with an arm, F, extending downward from its hub into conneotion with a longitudinally-sliding bar, (G, which extends through the forward end of the receiver and to a handle, H, beneath the barrel, and so that in the first part of the rear movement of the handle the brace will be raised from its looking position, and so that the continued movement of the handle will cause the breechpi'ece to move to the rear, and in the return of the handle the breechpiece will be fully closed, then in the completion of the'forward movement of the handle the brace will be bronght to its locked position, substantially as in the Franklin patent, before referred to.

In the receiver, at one side of the breechpiece, atwo-armed lever, b d, is hung upon a pivot, e, and so as to work thereonin a vertical 'plane. The arm I) extends forward and stands over a cam, f, on the brace D, (see Fig. 1,) and so that when the brace is brought to its locked position, as seen in that figure, the cam f will have raised the forward arm of the lever to its fullest extent. At this time the rear arm, d, is turned to its down position.' The rear end of the arm 11 is turned inward in the form of a finger, 9, (see Fig. 3,) and so that it may be brought into the path of v the hammer; but when the rear arm, d, is

turned downward, asindicated in Figsl, then the finger g is out of the path of the hammer, so that the hammer is free to be cocked or discharged, as desired. In opening the breechpiece the brace is raised from its abutment E, and so as to work over the abutment and rearward, as seen in Fig. 2, the rear movement of the brace producing a corresponding rear movement of the breech-piece, and the breech-piece in its turn forcing the hammer to its full-cocked position.

As the brace approaches its rear movement, or after the hammer shall have been brought to its cocked position, the brace engages the rear arm,d, and turns it upward, as indicated in Fig. 2, and so as to bring the finger g forward of the extension h in the forward end of the hammer, and so that that extension will strike the finger when the hammer is free, it being understood that the rear movement of the breech'piece forces the hammer slightly beyond the full-cocked position, and so that so soon as the hammer is free it will return into engagement with the rear end of the lever d, and will there be held under the force of the mainspring, until such time as the engagement with the lever broken.

On the forward movement of the breechpiece it arrives at its fully-closed position when the brace has reached the point where it may be turned down against its abutment E. W'hen this position is reached, the brace being turned down, the cam f engages the forward arm, 6, of the lever and turns it upward, as seen in lever.

Fig. 1,.which movement throws the rear arm, (1, downward and disengages the hammer, leaving the hammer free for discharge. Under this arrangement very rapid firing may be produced simply by the movement of the handle, as the operator applying the constant pull to the trigger, as not to engage the hammer, the rear movement of the breechpiece will throw the hammer rearward, and it will be engaged by the rear arm, d, of the Then after the breech-piece has been closed, and as the brace D reaches its deadlocked position, the lever will be tripped so as to release the hammer, and the blow will be delivered without regard to the trigger. Thus each rear movement of the handle will cock the hammer, and the extreme forward movement of the handle will discharge it, and the firing may be as rapid as it is possible for the operator to give the extreme rear and forward movement to the handle.

Instead of imparting the disengaging movement to the lever by a camon the hub of the locking-brace, such movement of the lever may be produced by the breech-piece itself by constructing the breech-piece with a cam, 2', near its forward end, as seen in Fig. 7, which will strike an inward projection from the lever, as seen in Fig. 4, and so that on the opening movement of the breech-piece this cam 12 will strike the projection on the forward arm of the lever and give it the downward movement to throw up the finger g. The relative position of this cam and the finger, it will be observed, is such that the finger y will come into the path of the hammer so soon as is thrown to full-cock, and before the breechpiece has fully opened In some cases this may be an advantage over operating the lever by the brace, from the fact that the brace cannot well turn the lever to bring the finger forward of the hammer until the brace approaches its extreme rear movement.

In the patent of Franklin, before referred to, a guard or cut-off was arranged to'swing horizontally or laterally over the opening in the receiver, and so as to pass between the rear end of a cartridge which shall fall from the magazine into the receiver and the next cartridge above, and so as to hold back the column of cartridges until the guard is withdrawn as the breech-piece returns to its fullyopen position, the withdrawal of the laterally-swinging guard being only dependent upon the last part of the rear movement of the breech-piece.

We find it desirable to provide a guard which shall separate the column of cartridges from the receiver, and shall not be withdrawn until the shell or unexploded cartridge has been positively engaged by the extractor and withdrawn from the barrel, for unless such provision be made, if the extractor fails to engage the cartridge or shell and the breechpiece is moved rearward without taking the cartridge or shell from the barreLthe next cartridge in the column will be permitted to fall into the receiver, and will there choke the passage and prevent the closing of the breechpiece until the cartridge is removed. To accomplish this result we arrange upon the upper surface of the breech-piece a thin shield, I. This shield is a thin plate of co'ncavo-convex shape, corresponding to the shape of the breech piece and the passage in the receiver, through which it moves, and so as to lie upon the surface of the breech-piece and move with it if engaged therewith. The length of this shield is somewhat greater than the opening in the top of the receiver, and so that when the breech-piece is closed the shield covers the breech piece in the opening in the receiver, as seen in Fig. 7. At the forward end a V- shaped notch, J, is cut in the shield, and so as to expose the cxtractorhook lat the forward end of the breech-piece. In the extreme forward position, as seen in Fig. 7, the shield substantially closes the opening in the receiver over the breech-piece, and in that position it is locked to the breechpiece by a latch, m, hinged to the breech-piece at n, and so as to swing in a vertical plane, the nose 0 standing up through an opening, in the shield, and so that while so engaged the shield must move with the breech-piece. As the breech-piece is moved to the rear, and when the shield has passed entirely to the rear of the opening in the receiver, a stud, r, in the receiver strikes the rear end, .9, of the latch, (see Fig. 9,) and so as to draw the nose 0 down from the opening p in the shield, thus disengaging the shield from the breech-piece. As the shield is disengaged the rear end of the shield strikes against the stud r and remains stationary, while the breech-piece completes its extreme rear movement, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 9, and as also seen in Fig. 10, and which movement takes the forward face of the brecchpiece to the rear of the forward end of the shield.

In the breech-piece at the rear a second latch, 15, is hung to swing in a vertical plane.

The forward end, a, of this latch is turned inward into the path of the stud)", and forward of the end 8 of the latch m, and so that after the stud r has depressed the latchm the continued rear movement of the breech-piece will bring the forward end, a, of the latch in contact with the stud r, and so that the forward end of the latch will be depressed, as seen in Fig; 10, thus raising the rear end, and so as to bring a shoulder, 10, on the latch up against the rear end of the shield, as seen in Fig. 12, and so that as the brcechpiece is moved forward the shoulder 10 of the latch being engaged with the shield will force the shield forward, with its nose in advance of the breech-piece, as seen in Fig. 10, and will so move in advance of the breeclrpiece until a projection, 2, on the rear end of the latch comes against a stationary cam, 3, in the receiver, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 10. This cam 3 will depress the rear end, 2, of the latch, and so as to disengage the shoulder to from the shield. Then the shield will remain stationary, because of its frictional contact with the receiver, the breech-piece continuing its movement until a shoulder, 4, on the breech piece arrives against the rear end of the shield, and which is the extreme rear position of the shield with relation to the breech-piece. Then the shield will move forward with the breechpiece to its extreme forward position, and when in that extreme forward position the latch 0 is forced into the opening i in the shield by the action of a cam on the locking-brace, or, what is the same thing, by a projection, 5, (see Fig. 13,) on the arm I) of the hammer-locking lever, the lever or cam striking a projection, (3, from the latch made for that purpose, so that in the final locking movement of the breech-piece in its closed position the shield and breech-piece will be positively engaged, and so that in the next rear movement of the breech piece the shield will be withdrawn, as before. As the locking of the breech-piece cannot take place until the extractor-hook has passed over and taken hold of the cartridge head in the chamber, the shield is only locked to the breech-piece so as to be withdrawn with the latter after the extraction is made positive.

In operation, when the breech-piece is in the extreme open position, the shield is so far retreated as to leave the opening free from the magazine into the receiver, as seen in Fig. 10, and so that a cartridge will drop therefrom into the magazine, and, as seen in Fig. 10, into position forward of the front face of the breechpiece, to be transferred to the barrel, the sec ond cartridge will also follow the first; but as the breech-piece is returned the shield first passes between the two cartridges, the V- shaped notch in the forward end of the shield producing a wedge-like action upon the upper cartridge, so as to raise its rear end until the shield can pass between the two, and also raising the rear cartridge out of the path of the extractor. The shield having thus entered, it stops for an instant to permit the breech-piece to come up against the head of the under cartridge, and then the shield moves with the breech-piece, before described, into its extrcine closed position, and so that the extractor will engage the head of the cartridge in the usual manner, the shield then standing as a complete partition between the Cililllb her in the receiver, and the cartridge next above forms a support for the column of cartridges; but as the breech-piece is withdrawn to take the shell or the cartridge, if it be not exploded, from the barrel rearward, and so that it may drop down through the opening in the receiver, the shield moves rearward with the breech-piece to open the passage for the next cartridge when the last shall have been removed; but it the forward movement of the breechpiecc be not complete, so as to make a positive engagement of the extractor with the cartridge, then the latch 0 will not have been brought into position to engage the shield, and the shield will remain in its forward position by its frictional contact with the walls of the receiver, and the breech-piece, continuing its movement,will be without the shield, and the shield will there stand as a guard to hold back the column of cartridges, the breech-piece being again returned to its closed position and so as to make engagement with the cartridge, that on its next retreat the cartridge will return with it. Then the latch m will engage the shield, so that the shield will retreat with the breech-piece and the cartridge, or if in the forward movement of the breech-piece with the cartridge engaged it be not completely closed, or so as to be locked and discharged, and in that condition returned, the shield will remain as the guard to hold back the column of cartridges, so that if in rapid firing the operator should fail to mplete his forward movement. before he withdraws the breech-piece, the shield prevents the next cartridge in the column from falling into the receiver to choke or interfere with the action .of the arm. Such imperfect movements are liable in rapid firing, and this arrangement of the shield affords ample protection against choking or clogging of the arm by such imperfect movements of the parts.

If the locking-lever for the hammer be not employed, then the cam f may act directly upon the projection 6 from the latch in; or a like cam may be provided on the hub of the brace independent of the camf, the camfbeing suficient illustration for this modification. As we have described this second part of the invention,it has been with a positive movemrnt for the latch t; but the locking movement of thelatch maybe produced by aspring, 7, beneath the rear end of the latch, as seen in Fig. 10. WVe prefer, however, the positive movement. v

The frictional engagement between the shield and the walls of the receiver is best produced by making the shield from elastic metal, and its diameter slightly greater than that of the breech-piece, so that it will be compressed in its introduction into the receiver. Then the reaction forces the edges of the shield against the walls of the magazine. The shield may, however, be constructed rigid, so as to fit the receiver more closely than it does the breech-piece, and so that the friction between the shield and the receiver will be greater than between the shield and the breechpiece; or, as seen in Fig. 17, the guard may be constructed with a flange upon each edge to ride in corresponding grooves in the receiver, which flanges and grooves in themselves would produce sufflcient friction for the purpose, it only being necessary that the shield shall .be in frictional contact with the receiver, so as to be held by the receiver when not positively engaged with the breech-piece.

Frequently the exploded shell sticks in the barrel,so as to make a starting under the rear movement of the breech-piece difficult. To

-facilitate such starting of the cartridge,wearrange a bellcrank lever, L M, in the receiver beneath the rear end of the barrel, the one arm, L, extending up so as to stand forward of the front face of the flange of the cartridge in the barrel, as seen in Fig. 14. The other arm,

M, extends forward over the slideG, and so that in the extreme forward position of the slide, the arm M may fall into the slot in the slide and its end stand in rear of the up wardly and forwardly inclined forward end, N, of the slot, and so that in the first part of the rear movement of the slide G the incline N will pass beneath the forward end of the arm M and turn it upward, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 14., and which movement will correspondingly turn the arm L rearward, and so as to start the cartridge, as indicated in broken lines, thus giving to the shell a preliminary start independent of the breechpiece, it being understood that the extractor has a certain amount of longitudinal movement independent of the breech-piecea construction known as the Richards patent, No. 81,290, August 18, 1868-and so that the breech-piece moves rearward a short distance before the extractor engages the cartridge, thus allowing an opportunity for the starting lever to act in advance of the engagement of the extractor-hook.

The magazine, as seen in Fig. 6, is of sub stantially the same shape as that of the magazine in the Franklin patent, before re ferred to, except that at the mouth and angles the wall of the magazine is curved, as at B, instead of nearly a right angle, as in the Franklin patent, which curvature facilitates the passage of the cartridges into the receiver, and obviates the cutting of the operators hand on the sharp edge of the magazine as heretofore constructed, and, like the Franklin magazine, this magazine is constructed with a flange, S, around its mouth, the flange extending forward, as at T, and rearward, as at U, the flanges T U being adapted to engage corresponding flanges,8 and 9, on the top of the receiver. (See Fig. 5.)

As a means for locking the magazine in place, the forward flange, T, is curved from a center considerably short of one -half the length of the magazinesay as at 10,Fig. 16 and the rear flange is out upon a curve from the same point-that is,on a radius very much longer than that of the forward end--and the flanges 8 and 9,which are undercut flanges to receive the flanges on the magazine, are correspondingly curved; hence to introduce the magazine the forward flange, T, is set into the flange 8, as indicated in broken lines, and so as to bring the centers coincident. Then the magazine is turned until both flanges are in position. In thatposition a spring-bolt, 11, at

the rear is thrown forward into a notch, 12, to

engage the rear end. That rear end being held, the short curve of the forward end prevents that end from being turned to right or left, so that the magazine is secured. The notch 12 is inclined with relation to the nose of the bolt 11, so that suflicient force being applied the magazine may be turned away from the bolt for removal, the engagement of the bolt being sufficient, however, to hold the magazine in place.

\Ve claim- 1. In a firearm having a longitudinally movable breech-piece and a hammer hung at the rear, adapted to strike the rear end of the firing-pin in the breech-piece, with alockingbrace hinged to the breech-piece, adapted to engage a shoulder in the receiver when the breech-piece is in its closed position, the combination therewith of a lever hung in the re ceiver forward of the hammer, arranged to swing in substantially a vertical plane, one arm of the lever extending toward the hammer, constructed to be moved into the path of the hammer when the hammer is in its cocked position, and so as to form astopfor the hammer in such cocked position, and mechanism between the breech-piece and said lever, substantially as described, whereby in the opening movement of the breech-piece the rear end of said lever is turned into the path of the hammer at full-cock, and so as to form a stop for the hammer at full-cock, and on the extreme forward movement said lever is turned from the path of and so as to release said hammer.

2. In a fire-arm having a longitudinallymovable breech'piece, a locking-brace hung near the forward end of the breech-piece, said locking-brace adapted to engage an abutment in the receiver when the breech-piece is in its closed position, and a longitudinally-sliding handle beneath the barrel in connection with said brace, whereby the brace may be engaged or disengaged and the longitudinal movement imparted to the breech-piece, with a hammer hung at the rear of the breech-piece, the combination therewith of a lever, 12 d, hung in the receiver forward of the hammer, and so as to swing in a vertical plane, the rear arm, d, constructed and arranged to be turned into or from the path of the hammer when the ham mer is in the full-cocked position, the brace provided with a cam arranged to engage the forward arm of the lever, substantially as de scribed, and whereby in the opening movement of the breech-piece the said rear arm will be turned upward into the path of the hammer at full-cock, and on the return of the breech'piece the locking movement of the brace will return said lever.

3. In a magazine fire-arm having a longitudinally movable breech -piece, a lockingbrace hinged to the breeeh-piece,and arranged to engage an abutment in the receiver when the breech-piece is in its closed position, and with a magazine arranged over the mouth of the receiver, from which cartridges may suecessively pass to a position forward of the front face of the breech-piece in its open position, the combination therewith of the shield I on the breech-piece, and adapted to move with the breech-piece, a latch, m, arranged to engage the shield with the breech-piece when the breech-piece is in its extreme closed position, the stud 1" in the receiver in the path of the said latch, arranged to disengage the latch from the shield before the breechpiece reaches its extreme open position, a second latch, t, hung in the receiver in the path of the stud 1' on the receiver, the said latch 25 constructed with a shoulder, 10, adapted to engage the shield when the breech-piece is in its extreme rear position, and the cam3 in the path of the said latch t, adapted to disengage the said latch from the shield after the breech-piece commences its forward movement, and a cam on the brace, arranged to throw the latch m into engagement with the shield when the breech-piece is in its extreme closed position, 7

substantially as described.

4. In a magazine fire-arm having a longitudinally movable breech piece, a lockingbrace hinged to the breech piece and arranged to engage an abutment in the receiver when the breech-piece is in its closed position, and with a magazine arranged over the mouth of the receiver, from which cartridges may successively pass to aposition forward of the front face of the breech-piece in its open position, the combination therewith of a shield concavoconvex in transverse section, arranged upon the upper side of the breechpiece, and so as tobe moved with the breech piece, the said shield constructed to engage the walls of the receiver with greater friction than between the shield and the breechpiece, a latch, m, on the breech piece, and a cam on the lockingbrace arranged to engage the said latch with the shield in the extreme closed position of the breech-piece, a trip in the receiver in the path of movement ofsaid latch, and arranged to dis engage the latch from the shield as the breech piece approaches itsextreme rear position, and whereby the movement of the shield will be arrested before the movement of the breechpiece is completed, a second latch on the breech-piece arranged to engage the shield before the breech-piece commences its forward 'movement, and a cam in the receiver in the path of said second latch, arranged to disengage said second latch after the forward movement of the breech-piece and shield has oommenced, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a magazine fire arm having a longitudinally movable breech piece, a locking brace hinged to the breechpiece and arranged to engage an abutment in the receiver when the breech-piece is in its closed position, and with a magazine arranged over the mouth of the receiver, from which cartridges may suecessively pass to a position forward of the front face of the breech-piece in its open position, the combination therewith of a concavo-convex shield, I, arranged on the breech piece, and so as to move with it, the latches m tin the breech piece, adapted to respectively engage or disengage the said shield, and mechanism, substantially such as described, for operating such latches. the face end of the shield constructed with a V-shaped notch, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a fire-arm in which the breech-piece is arranged to move longitudinally backward and forward in opening and closing, and in which a handle is arranged forward of the receiver beneath the barrel,with a slide extending from said handle into connection with the operative mechanism of the breech piece, whereby longitudinal movement of the handle will be imparted to the breech-piece, the combination therewith of a bell-crank lever hung in the forward end of the receiver, one arm extending up to a position forward of that 00- cupied by the front face of the head of the cartridge in the barrel, the other arm extend ing forward into the path of an incline on the slide, substantially as described, and whereby in the first part of the rear movement of the slide the said lever will be turned to start the shell from its place in the barrel.

7. In a magazine fire -arm in which the magazine is arranged above the receiver,with its mouth opening into a recess in the top of the receiver, with a flange on each end of the magazine at its mouth adapted to engage corresponding undercut flanges at each end of the opening in the receiver, the said flanges on the magazine constructed each in the segment -of a circle from a common center, the said center nearer one end than the other, and the undercut flanges on the receiver of corresponding segment shape from the same center, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

8. In a magazine fire arm in which the magazine is arranged upon the top of the receiver, and with its mouth opening into the receiver, the said magazine constructed with a flange at its forward and rear ends, combined with corresponding undercut flanges on the receiver, the rear flange of the magazine constructed with a notch, and a spring bolt arranged on the receiver in rear of the magazineopening adapted to engage said notch in the magazine, substantially as described.

WV. B. FRANKLIN. CARL J. EHBETS. WVitnesses:

WM. WALDO HYDE, CHARLES E. Gnoss. 

